Process for the biological treatment of waste water using microorganisms

Abstract

The present invention relates to the biological treatment of waste water using microorganisms whose living conditions are maintained by addition of oxygen into a contact path. An underwater support frame has a double-walled duct arranged as a contact path such that the duct is placed angularly towards a surface of the water. The duct is made for holding air bubbles to prevent the premature rise of the air bubbles added by an aerator providing air at the beginning of the contact path. The contact path has a suction point at an end which is connected via a fresh organism pipe with the aerator. A connection piece connects the aerator to a suction pipe at the beginning of the contact path. The other end of the suction pipe is connected to a flowing-in opening located at a distance from the aerator contrary to the flow direction, for supplying contaminated water to the aerator before the water actually reaches the contact path.

I claim: 
     
       1. A process for the biological treatment of waste water using microorganisms whose living conditions are maintained by addition of oxygen into a contact path, the contact path being arranged at a slight upward angle towards a surface of the water and having an interior air-permeable and an exterior air-impermeable wall, comprising the steps of: adding air and contaminated waste water into a beginning of the contact path for developing the microorganisms approximately parallel to the surface of the water;   trapping and suctioning a part of the microorganisms developed in the contaminated water at a predetermined distance near an end of the contact path by means of a telescopable fresh organism pipe;   recycling the trapped microorganisms to the beginning of the contact path and additionally introducing a partial stream of the contaminated waste water from a source of the waste water into a settlement area of the microorganisms in the beginning of the contact path to prepare the microorganisms for any change that would occur in the contamination of the waste water being flown to the contact path.   
     
     
       2. The process of claim 1, wherein the recycling comprises recycling a part of the microorganisms suctioned, to the beginning of the contact path against a direction of flow of the waste water. 
     
     
       3. The process of claim 1, wherein the trapping comprises suctioning part of the microorganisms at a predetermined distance in a direction of flow near an end of the contact path, and the recycling comprises distributing the trapped microorganisms together with air and the water in the contact path. 
     
     
       4. The process of claim 3, wherein further addition of contaminated waste water is decreased when the suction point is located closer to the beginning of the contact path where the air and the contaminated waste water are introduced. 
     
     
       5. The process of claim 1, wherein the suctioning comprises selecting a distance depending on a saturation of the oxygen in the water and on a volume of the microorganisms present in the contact path for suctioning an optimal part of the microorganisms and supplying to a source of the contaminated waste water. 
     
     
       6. The process of claim 1, further wherein introducing the partial stream comprises introducing air and waste water into the beginning of the contact path for reacting the waste water introduced with the recycled microorganisms in their entirety. 
     
     
       7. The process of claim 1, wherein the prepared microorganisms are precultivated for adapting to the new waste water composition and are sluiced into the contact path via a suction point until a stabilization has been achieved. 
     
     
       8. An Apparatus for the biological treatment of waste water using microorganisms whose living conditions are maintained by addition of oxygen into a contact path, comprising an underwater support frame in which a double-walled duct is arranged as a contact path such that the duct is placed angularly towards a surface of the water, and the duct having means for holding air bubbles to prevent the premature rise of the air bubbles and holds the contaminated waste water added by means of an aerator providing air at a beginning of the contact path, a suction point at an end of the contact path, the suction point being connected via a telescopable fresh organism pipe with the aerator, a connection piece for connecting the aerator to a suction pipe at the beginning of the contact path, the suction pipe having a diameter at one end smaller than that of another end, and the other end of the suction pipe being connected to a flowing-in opening located at a distance from the aerator contrary to the flow direction, for supplying contaminated water to the aerator before the water actually reaches the contact path. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the suction point is connected to plural inlet pipes arranged to cover a large diameter within the contact path. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the length of the suction pipe is proportional to cover an average growth speed of the microorganisms present in activated sludge. 
     
     
       11. An Apparatus for the biological treatment of waste water using microorganisms whose living conditions are maintained by addition of oxygen into a contact path, comprising an underwater support frame in which a double-walled duct is arranged as a contact path such that the duct is placed angularly towards a surface of the water, and the duct having means for holding air bubbles to prevent the premature rise of the air bubbles and holds the contaminated waste water added by means of an aerator providing air at a beginning of the contact path, a suction point at an end of the contact path, the suction point being connected via a fresh organism pipe with the aerator, a connection piece for connecting the aerator to a suction pipe at the beginning of the contact path, the suction pipe having a diameter at one end smaller than that of another end, and the other end of the suction pipe being connected to a flowing-in opening located at a distance from the aerator contrary to the flow direction, for supplying contaminated water to the aerator before the water actually reaches the contact path, wherein the suction point is equipped with a vacuum pump near the end of the contact path and with plural discharge nozzles for discharging the microorganisms in a couterstream direction at the beginning of the contact path. 
     
     
       12. An Apparatus for the biological treatment of waste water using microorganisms whose living conditions are maintained by addition of oxygen into a contact path, comprising an underwater support frame in which a double-walled duct is arranged as a contact path such that the duct is placed angularly towards a surface of the water, and the duct having means for holding air bubbles to prevent the premature rise of the air bubbles and holds the contaminated waste water added by means of an aerator providing air at a beginning of the contact path, a suction point at an end of the contact path, the suction point being connected via a fresh organism pipe with the aerator, a connection piece for connecting the aerator to a suction pipe at the beginning of the contact path, the suction pipe having a diameter at one end smaller than that of another end, and the other end of the suction pipe being connected to a flowing-in opening located at a distance form the aerator contrary to the flow direction, for supplying contaminated water to the aerator before the water actually reaches the contact path, wherein the fresh organism pipe is constructed telescopically with a drive coordinated therewith.